Chapter 16: The Duke's Daughter Heads into Danger

Chapter 16:
The Duke's Daughter Heads into Danger

 

THUS, WE SET OFF for the east—not in a carriage but on horseback. It was faster that way. Whether because this trip wasn’t as grueling as the one to the capital or because I’d grown more used to that mode of transportation, I was in far less rear-related pain by the end of it.

I wore a disguise, of course. The people in town hadn’t recognized me when I’d gone incognito there, so I had Tanya do that same makeup on me again. Lyle was disguised this time as well. He wasn’t wearing makeup, but he dyed his hair and wore glasses, and he shed his usual armor.

We reached the port city in the east a day later, stopping only to change horses. It was around late afternoon, and the sun hadn’t yet set. We could only stay for a week, so we had to act quickly. First, Lyle and I booked a room at an inn, and then I went to observe the town hall. Before I did that, I sent Dean out to gather information in town on a number of specific subjects.

“At a glance, it doesn’t seem like anything has changed since our last visit. The only difference is that the mood in the air feels a little heavier, perhaps?” I said.

The town still seemed bright and cheerful, and the people were friendly, just like they had been—but an odd weight was layered over their every action.

“I feel like someone’s watching us, and they’ve got an icy glare… Is it malice?” Lyle murmured, cautiously looking around.

We couldn’t do anything with a feeling, so we headed toward the largest building in town, the town hall. There was a reception window as soon as you walked in. The receptionists answered various requests and handled forms, just as they did in any other Armelian town. There were quite a lot of citizens in the hall, and all the staff members seemed busy.

“May I help you?” a woman asked me. She wore a uniform and a name tag, which indicated she was a staff member.

Lyle stepped between us. “I’m thinking of moving to town, and the merchant guild told me that I should check to see what kind of paperwork I’d need to fill out.”

“Certainly. Here’s a number. Please wait your turn and then bring the number back with you when I call it.”

She showed us to a waiting room where we sat down. We’d decided on our story before we came, so we were prepared to stick to it.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” she said when she returned and guided us to her desk. “Please, have a seat.”

Lyle answered all the woman’s questions according to our plan, and everything was going smoothly, by the book. He seemed to be making a good impression on the woman.

“Do you have any other questions?” she asked.

“I heard some rumors on the way that things have been less safe here recently. Is that true?”

“Well…” She frowned, seeming reluctant to say. “Honestly…and this is embarrassing, but the rumors are true. In short, some…organizations are competing with each other, and it’s impacted the town as a whole.”

“I see.”

“But don’t worry. In Armelia, as you know, we have a garrison of soldiers assigned to each district. They have already been notified, and I’m sure they’ll take care of it soon.”

“Oh? So you sent a report to the garrison?”

“Yes, quite a while ago. They’re in the middle of dealing with another incident and can’t come quite yet, but I’m sure they’ll be here soon.”

“Well, that’s reassuring. Thank you.”

We left and went straight back to the inn.

“Even a town hall receptionist knows what’s going on,” Lyle muttered. “She said they’d already notified the local garrison, but do you remember seeing a notice?”

“No, not at all,” I said. “And something of this magnitude would’ve been brought to my attention.”

“I haven’t heard anything from the garrison either. Something this important definitely should have gone to you before they responded.”

“I don’t want to doubt our own men, but…I think I’d better go take a look into the local armed forces.”

“That’s a good idea. Now we need to wait on Dean’s report.”

At that moment, Tanya entered the room—perfect timing, as usual. “I’m sorry I took so long, my lady.”

“I’m glad you’re here, Tanya. Is everything all right?”

“Of course.”

“Good. Tanya, is it possible to change my appearance even more?”

“I figured you might say that, so I brought a wig from the Azuta Corporation. I can change your makeup as well.”

“Wonderful. I’m going undercover at the town hall tomorrow.”

“Very well.”

Just then, Dean got back, too.

“Well? How was it?” I asked.

“I can’t say anything for certain. But…something felt off.”

“Off?”

“Yes. There are discrepancies between the accounts we’ve heard of the Boltik family’s activities and the things I’ve actually witnessed here.”

“Did you see something today?”

“Yes. I believe so.”

“And? What are they up to?”

“The Boltiks run a company that deals with imports from other countries. It seems they’re withholding the products from the general market and only selling them for higher than market value.”

“Ah, I see. And if we don’t do something about it, the citizens will start to distrust us. Dida heard some citizens theorize that we’re trying to steal profits. That might be just what the Boltik family wants them to think.”

“Perhaps.”

“It’s possible they had this planned for a while and started those rumors on purpose—and they took advantage of my excommunication to drive distrust.” I sighed. “If Dorssen digs into this, that will only mean more problems for us.”

“Yes, let’s use Tanya’s skills and have her look into this immediately.”

“Can you do that, Tanya?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Dean, will you come to the town hall with me tomorrow, like we planned?”

“Absolutely.”

And so ended our first day in the east.

 

***

 

The next day, Dean and I went to the town hall masquerading as students on the government track of Armelia’s academy. We had established a program in the Armelian capital that sent these students out to gain work experience, and we operated under that cover story.

Town halls and other such offices are always short-staffed, and the program gave the students a taste of what their future occupations would be like—especially as there was a good chance most of them would end up working at a town hall.

We introduced ourselves as students who had come to act as interns. I’d already notified the academy of our cover story, just in case someone wanted to do a background check. I felt bad knowing that we were taking away important experience from actual students, so I’d promised the academy that I would do everything I could to get the students who’d originally applied here the positions they wanted.

Putting that aside, I wore a completely different disguise that day. I wore glasses again and a wig that was so black it almost looked blue. Many people had dark hair in eastern Armelia, so I didn’t stand out at all. In fact, since this was a port town, there were people of every appearance and hair color that you could imagine.

Dean was also disguised, and the two of us walked through the town hall totally incognito. Our prior arrangements ensured we were welcomed in.

Unfortunately, as students, we couldn’t pick the tasks we were assigned to, so Dean and I were separated. There was nothing to be done about that. Actually, I had grown so accustomed to being the one giving out orders that it felt refreshing to receive instructions from someone else.

I delivered documents throughout the building and did simple calculations. None of it was especially complicated, so I finished quickly and had a healthy chunk of spare time on my hands. I enjoyed listening to the staff talk about things I never would have heard during the trip I’d taken to the port as the governor.

“Oh, Alice—you don’t have to do that, dear.”

“I’d like to learn everything I can while I’m here. Please, allow me.” I smiled at the staff member.

I was taking out the trash. It wasn’t garbage, though, but documents meant to be burned. This town hall had a rule that papers that had served their purpose were to be burned before the end of the day.

I took the papers out to the charcoal stove—though of course I read every document before burning it.

Bingo, I thought with a smile.

I’d found documents that hadn’t actually been properly recorded—statements from citizens, et cetera. These were what I had been after. I’d separated the trash I collected from every individual waste bin, so I knew exactly who had thrown out what. To be precise, I knew who had wanted these documents burned.

I was relieved to have results from the day’s work, but even more than that, I found myself glad to have spent invaluable time learning things about the experience that I might not otherwise have been able to.

At the end of the day, I met up with Dean and we exchanged information, then returned to the inn to tell the others.

“Tanya, I want you to look into this person. There’s a good chance they’re involved in this operation.”

“Very well, my lady.”

“Yes, thank you. How about you, Dean?”

“I found two others besides the one you indicated. I made a few observations, but I don’t think they’re directly involved with this matter, so I’ll write a report on it later. What made you single out this individual?”

I told him about the documents, and Tanya looked at me with surprise.

“You took out the garbage, my lady?”

“It was my suggestion. I had to—I thought I might be able to find some clues.”

“I suppose that’s true. This person didn’t come up in my investigation. At any rate, I will look into all three people.”

“Thank you.”

“Of course,” she said.

“What about you, Tanya?” I asked. “Did you find out anything today?”

“I did. It seems the Boltik family isn’t actually behind this operation. I suppose it would be more accurate to say that they are involved, but they’re not the masterminds.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Everything I’ve found about the Boltiks suggests that they wouldn’t design an operation like this. It doesn’t fit their pattern. I also looked into some people whom Dean said were claiming to be in the family.”

“But you found no record of them?”

“Exactly. They belong to a rival gang.”

“I see.”

“They did communicate with someone who actually belongs to the Boltiks. His name is Emilio, and he’s the second in command—so the Boltiks are somewhat involved.”

“Now the question is whether the Boltik family approved this, or if Emilio went rogue?”

“I think the latter is more likely. Only certain members of the family have shown up in our investigations.”

“You’re right. Have you found anything regarding Dida?”

“Well…” Tanya hesitated, which was rare for her. I urged her to continue. “I have no idea where he is or what he’s doing. I can only surmise, from our last conversation, that he might have been part of the gang whose ringleader is masterminding this operation. In short, he’s probably already aware of the information we’ve been working to gather.”

“I see…”

“Shall we mobilize the garrison?” Tanya asked, but I shook my head.

“No, we can’t. Lyle’s looking into it, but until his report, I can’t be sure if they’re trustworthy. So if we brought them in…”

“It might only make things worse?”

“Precisely. It’s one thing if Dida has been captured, and that’s clearly the situation once the authorities intervene. But what if he hasn’t been captured because he’s infiltrating their operation? Or what if they’ve caught him, but they’re keeping him hostage as insurance? It will still look like he’s in on it. If I can’t predict how the local soldiers will react…it might be hard for us to cover for him.”

“Pardon me for overstepping.”

“Not at all. You’re right. We need to make a move either way.”

“My lady, do you mind if I take my leave for a moment?”

“I wouldn’t mind, but what do you intend to do?”

“I’d like to meet up with Lyle. If he has to keep an eye on the garrison, he might not be able to come back soon, and I’d like his report sooner rather than later. He also asked me to let him know if we learned anything important.”

I’d thought she was going to ask to do something more closely related to Dida, so I was surprised, but I didn’t want to tell her no. “You have my permission.”

“I shall take over guarding Lady Iris,” Dean said.

Tanya had looked concerned about leaving me, but Dean’s words put her mind at ease. As she left, I wondered when she had grown to trust him so much.

“So it’s a rival of the Boltik family? Hm…” I murmured. “That means the rumors are true. They’re after me…or perhaps they’re after Dida.”

“I think it’s more likely Dida,” said Dean. “If they directly targeted you, it would be difficult for them to survive in Armelia, even if they managed to overcome the Boltiks.”

“That’s true. But the rumors still say it’s me they’re after… Mmm, I see…”

“I think you’re on to something. They probably thought your excommunication was an opportunity. That’s why you increased security on Van—because you thought something like this might happen, right?”

I smiled wryly. “I don’t know what Emilio was thinking, working with his family’s rival, but it seems like he’s hiding behind the Boltik name, at least. The import goods they’re hoarding are likely hidden at the Boltiks’ base. I’m not sure whether the rest of the family would be on my side, though. According to the reports…”

“They probably don’t want to publicly antagonize House Armelia. If they knew about the situation, they’d want to get rid of the goods as soon as possible to keep the whole thing under wraps.”

“I wish they’d just make a move.”

“You don’t think they’re hesitating because of the factional split?”

“Ah, I see what you mean. Their own network is untrustworthy. Some of them may even want it to remain that way.”

“Exactly. Their boss made a real mistake this time.”

“Dean, would you bring me a map?” I took a deep breath and let it out, trying to calm my nerves. “Ugh. Even if I don’t mobilize the garrison, Dorssen might make his move, and that will endanger Dida. It would be very knightly of him—and he takes such pride in his knighthood. Normally, no one would so aggressively poke their nose into the business of another domain, but if anyone would do it, it’d be him.”

The knights were meant to protect the royal family first, the capital second. That was the limit of their jurisdiction. So, if the son of an aristocrat serving as a knight interfered with the business of another duchy, it meant trouble for his house. Under normal circumstances, someone in that position would be compelled to abstain from taking action. That was where the Tasmerian military was supposed to come in.

But Dorssen would definitely interfere, especially if he hadn’t matured or otherwise changed since my expulsion. He’d act without even thinking of the consequences.

“Here it is.” Dean handed me the map. At the same time, I gathered my calm and set aside my feelings. “Dean, you know where the Boltiks’ base is, don’t you?”

“Why do you say so?”

“Just a hunch. Could you…” I started, but when I saw the look on his face grow tense, I shrugged. “I won’t say a thing. You could’ve learned anything at all in the course of this investigation. Moreover, your family are merchants, and you might very well have interacted with them in that capacity. But no matter the reason, I just…I have a feeling you know their leader. What was it you said—a real mistake this time?”

“Did you…”

“Like I said, it’s purely a hunch,” I laughed, drawing a tight smile from him.

“Yes, I heard you. I swear I have no true connection to the family, so I don’t know much about the structure of the organization.”

“You’re such a mysterious person,” I murmured as I studied him.

“Do you think I can’t be trusted? Am I so suspicious?” he asked, glancing at me. It seemed like his eyes were searching for the answer.

“Strangely, I don’t believe so. Perhaps that makes me a bad governor.” I chuckled.

Dean knelt in front of me as I sat, so he could be at my eye level. We were closer now than before. He leaned in even closer, toward my face. My heart was pounding.

“You are not a bad governor,” he said.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Please, I want you to use me. I’ll let you. I vowed to give you all of myself. Won’t I be useful?”

“Ah, yes…that’s right. You did say that.” I giggled softly at the teasing tone he’d taken on at the end. “Very well, Dean. I want you to help me.”

“Of course, my lady. What do you wish me to do?”

“I want to see the boss of the Boltik family. Could we do that now?”

“If we go straight to their headquarters, yes.”

“Then take me there. I have to go as soon as possible. I have to save Dida.”

“But my lady… You know well that the Boltiks are involved with all number of illicit activities. They’re a dangerous group to contact. Are you positive you want to do this?”

“Yes, I do. Dida might be in danger, and Dorssen might be planning to make a move that will seal his fate. Should I hesitate? Should I do nothing?” I couldn’t waste this opportunity.

“That sounds like you,” Dean said with a soft smile. “Just keep doing what you’ve been doing, my lady. I will protect you from anyone. So please…entrust your body to me.”

That last line got me—I knew he didn’t mean it in a romantic way. He was asking me to entrust my body to him for protection, to trust him with my life since we were walking into danger. Yet his words hit me square in the heart, and my mind blanked for a split second.

“Dean…” I whispered. I want to give all of myself to you. My heart, my body. Everything—except my responsibilities.

I couldn’t say it.

Instead, I smiled. “Yes, Dean. I will.”

“Very well, my lady. However…”

“Yes?”

“Let me change into something easier to move around in.”

He did so, as did I, and then we met back up downstairs to seek out the Boltik family.

 

Now that the sun had gone down, a different sort of person was out and about in the town—especially when one happened to be in a back alley.

“This way.” Dean pulled my hand, and we made to run.

“Who are you? Argh!”

Dean grabbed the man standing in our way. Dida and Lyle had always made much of Dean’s strength, and it turned out that they hadn’t been exaggerating.

“What do you want?” the man gasped.

“We want to see Glaus,” said Dean.

“What the hell are you talking about? You think Glaus has time to meet with some young punk?”

“That’s not for you to decide, is it? And all of you hiding over there—you can come out now.”

Several men stepped out from the shadows.

Dean snorted. “What a nice welcoming party. So are you going to let us pass? Or…”

“’Course we can’t let you pass!”

Instantly, a fight broke out—but it didn’t take long for one side to claim victory. Even though he was vastly outnumbered, the clear winner was Dean.

When he fought, he moved just like Lyle and Dida. He didn’t have the stiff, regimented maneuvers of the knights or those in the Armelian guard. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. I suppose you could call it a refined sort of violence. It only took a few moments for him to best every single opponent.

“Are you all right?” he asked me, not even panting.

“Yes. I trust you,” I said, clutching his shirt. I meant it, too, from the bottom of my heart. Even so, my hand was trembling. I’d have been lying if I said I wasn’t frightened to go where we were going. Dean must have sensed that, because he squeezed my hand. His warmth melted my anxiety away.

“Dean.”

“Yes?”

“Have I grown since Dida stopped me from going into that alleyway?”

“Yes. You’ve grown more vibrant. Both as the governor, and as a woman.”

“Smooth as ever. I wonder why hearing it from you gives me so much courage.”

“It’s all right, my lady. There’s nothing for you to worry about. You can do this.” As Dean said that, he rested his forehead on mine. A strange sense of nostalgia washed over me, along with relief. I closed my eyes and squeezed his hand.

That feeling of relief filled my heart.

“Let’s go, my lady.” Dean said, and we set off again.

Soon, we reached a building that faced the sea. From the outside, it looked like any other building in the neighborhood. Dean hid me in the shadows and dashed toward the entrance. Once he dispatched the man guarding the gate, he returned to me, grabbed my hand, and brought me with him at a run.

Quickly, quietly, we made our way up the stairs. I’d assumed there would be a large number of people inside the headquarters, but there wasn’t. I didn’t see a single soul. Just as I wondered if we were really in the right place, we reached our destination. Dean paused in front of a door, twisted the knob, and forcefully pushed it open.

At that exact moment, a sword came flying toward us, and I bit my lip to keep from screaming. Simultaneously, Dean blocked the sword with his own and struck it away.

“Stop!”

The second the man fell to the ground with a thud, a deep voice rang out. This room was vast and tall, and the sharp voice echoed within it.

I glanced over and saw several strong-looking men who had frozen in the middle of what they were doing.

“Heh. What a day.” Only one man was sitting, and he chuckled throatily.

“Long time no see, Glaus.” Dean said with a sigh.

So Dean did know him—and pretty well, it seemed.

“Long time no see,” said Glaus. Then his friendly attitude abruptly changed. “Looks like you’re still causing trouble everywhere you go. Can’t you rein it in?”

“That’s not very nice. You’re talking like I’m always the one making problems.”

“Aren’t you?”

“Trouble has a way of finding me. I just deal with it. I’m pretty sure you’re the one stirring things up lately, in any case.”

Glaus’s expression tightened a mote. “How much do you know?”

Dean’s gaze sharpened just as Glaus’s had. “Let’s just say I know enough.”

“Tell me everything you’ve got.”

“That’s rather presumptuous, isn’t it?” Dean snorted, and the men near us tensed.

“I said stop!” Glaus growled—to my surprise. He was keeping them in check. “They may not look it, but these guys are real beasts. They’re perfectly willing to get maimed or killed if that’s what it takes to protect me.”

“That’s awful. Though I’m pretty sure I could take half of them at once, if it came to it.”

That enraged two of the men, and they charged Dean. In no time, he had them flat on the ground. His movements were so fast, I honestly didn’t even see what he did.

“Vicious.” Glaus laughed. “You never change, Dean. You guys get it now, huh? My bad, my bad. What’ve you got?”

“I’m not the one who’s come to talk to you. It’s her.”

“A woman?”

They all stared at me.

I took a step forward. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Iris Lana Armelia.”

“Armelia…” Glaus smirked. “The daughter of a duke. What are you doing here?”

“I want to make a deal, of course.”

Glaus laughed out loud. “Hilarious! A noble maiden, come to make a deal with me? Why don’t you run back home to Daddy’s mansion, sweetheart? If you leave now, you might make it in time for tea.”

“Why, I’d love to. Unfortunately, you’ve all been such amateurs that I’ve had to come ensure things get done properly.”

Glaus’s smile vanished. A dark, intimidating aura rolled off of him. “You’d better watch your tongue. I don’t care how noble you are, or if you’ve got Dean standing in front of you—I don’t take kindly to that manner of talk.”

I was so frightened that I thought my knees would start knocking together—but I clenched my stomach, maintained my composure, and finally, I smiled. “It seems there’s a rumor that House Armelia has joined forces with your family to hoard imported goods and steal profits from the citizens. The people think this quite unfair. Hence why I’d like to resolve the matter as swiftly as possible.”

I must have looked out of my mind, smiling in a place like that.

“Of course, it’s not a big deal,” I went on. “If I act recklessly and die in so doing, all you have to say is that you had nothing to do with the matter from the start. Although, I have a feeling that if the daughter of a noble is murdered, both Armelia’s armed forces and the royal army will be mobilized in order to keep the peace. I suspect they’d decide you ought to take full responsibility for the incident. End of story. They wouldn’t care who the actual mastermind might be. Meanwhile, all I personally care about is taking care of this quickly and keeping my house’s name untarnished. Surely you can’t object to that, can you?”

Glaus scowled. “Can’t lay a hand on you when you put it like that.”

“Well, then. I’ll get back to the point. I want this matter over and done with. I know you do, too. So, let’s work together. That’s the deal I want to make.”

“I got something to ask.”

“Yes?”

“I’m well aware you’ve got the manpower to crush my family whenever you want. You didn’t have to come here all on your lonesome.”

“True enough.”

“Then why did you?”

“If I destroyed your family, I’d hardly destroy all of your kind,” I said. “Moreover, the survivors would grow more cunning. They’d fight dirtier. Thus I’ve decided that although you’re troublesome, I’d rather keep you around. You run this town, do you not?”

Even if the Boltiks’ business was illicit, the citizens accepted them. They did in fact control the port. Case in point: I didn’t believe the town hall official who had been covering for the Boltik family had been directed to do so by Glaus or his men. Citizens in the dark were concerned, and they wondered what was going on—some more keenly than others. The testimony I’d burned had surprised me, as had the responses from the citizens in town. Numerous individuals suspected that whoever was behind this was impersonating the Boltik family. I now had reason to believe that they were correct.

“Or are you unworthy of their trust?” I asked after I laid all this out. “If so, I’ll go ahead and call up my soldiers.”

Glaus laughed. The other men did, too. “You got me!” he crowed. “I wondered why you’d bring a girl round here to talk to me, Dean. Now I understand. She’s a good woman.”

“Isn’t she?” Dean said.

My heart skipped a beat.

“I can wrap the truth in all manner of pretty words, but we’re rogues, through and through. Even so, we’ve got our own set of rules—lines you can’t cross, no matter what. It would sully our names if we failed to live up to your expectations.”

“You’ll work with us, then?” I asked. “You’ll lend me your power?”

“We will. Although I have a feeling you’re going to be the one saving us.”

My negotiation was successful. I didn’t let it show on my face, but I inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. Now I had a connection with Glaus. It had all been worth it.

But it wasn’t over yet. The real battle had just begun.

“Show me the territory under your control.”

Glaus nodded. One of the men standing by the wall came over to me with a map. “Here.” He pointed out several places.

I studied it and indicated a neighborhood. “Here.”

“Why here?”

“The sewers run under that street, and anyone who works with the town officials would have access to it. It would be an excellent location for storing goods, as well as a means of traveling unseen.”

“I see.”

“And according to Tanya’s investigation, their base is right here.” I pointed to a specific location in the neighborhood.

Dean seemed impressed. “What are you thinking? Go there now?”

“Soon—first we need to get Tanya.”

“All right.”

“I’ve told you where to find them,” I said to Glaus. “Now you just need to make your move.”

“I hear you,” he said. “We’ll take care of it. But are you sure this is what you want?”

“Yes. I’d like you at the forefront of this operation. You’re more important to the locals than we are. In exchange, all I want is for you to rescue a man with brown hair; his name is Dida. Well, if you think you can pull this off, at least.”

“Oho?”

“You can’t go into this half-heartedly. If you try to protect your former allies, I won’t hesitate to bring in my soldiers.”

Glaus chuckled. “Sounds good to me. All right, boys, get ready to move!”

At his call, his men leapt to action, preparing themselves to head out.

“We’ll be going, then,” I said.

“You do that. But come back and visit when all this is settled! I’d love to have a drink with you.”

“Sounds lovely.” I nodded. “I’m looking forward to it.”

With that, we bid Glaus farewell and made our way back to the main street.

 

***

 

We met up with Tanya immediately after that, and she was incensed. I couldn’t blame her. I did ask her to save the lectures for later, because we had places to be.

Tanya also had news—Dorssen was with Dida. As expected, Dorssen had stuck his nose where it didn’t belong.

Things had actually turned out rather well for us. It seemed Dorssen had seen a man emerge from the sewers and grown suspicious—at which point he’d gone to investigate the matter himself. He’d stumbled on the true mastermind’s base as well as the place where Dida was being held captive.

Dorssen had really gone above and beyond what I’d thought him capable of. At least if he’d seen Dida being held captive, he had surely realized that we weren’t cooperating with the troublemakers. Luck had been with us in this instance. We might even be able to use Dorssen’s testimony to prove our innocence.

To the point, Dorssen had tried to rescue Dida, but he had been ambushed. Now they were roommates.

The one problem with Dorssen’s little adventure was that, since he’d discovered the sewer entrance, the gang we were after had sealed it off. We could no longer use it as our point of ingress. We would need another route in order to save Dida. Namely, we’d have to go in through the front.

None of my companions were content to let me stay at the inn alone, so I was going with them—though it was just Dean and Tanya. Lyle had to keep an eye on the local garrison. He’d swiftly identified which of the port town’s soldiers had a connection to the gang we were investigating and delivered the proof to Tanya while Dean and I were at the town hall.

Now, while we were making our preparations, Lyle was with the soldiers, going, “Troops! What is the meaning of discipline?” and “You there! What does it mean to be a soldier?” He’d get them all riled up before he led them to our location. In other words, he was buying us time.

It would be a problem if they arrived before the Boltik family was finished, but once they had cleaned house, I would have the soldiers take care of the rest.

Finally, we headed to our destination. The smell of the salty sea air was especially strong by the shore. Our target was one of many large warehouses. We ducked into the shadows just inside the entrance. The Boltik family had just faced off with their rivals in the center of the warehouse, and the groups were shouting at each other.

In the center of it all were Glaus and his treacherous second, Emilio.

“Excuse me for a moment,” Dean said as he dashed off into the shadows between the crates. He disappeared into the dark, and I struggled to adjust my eyes to see.

“You really did it this time, Emilio, you bastard!”

“Aw, shut up! You’ve gone soft, Glaus. I’m the man for the job—not you!”

“You know, you’re really showing your own ass, acting like this. Don’t worry, though. We’ll take on anyone who spits in our faces, even if they’re barely worth the trouble. Get ’em, boys!”

At Glaus’s signal, ear-splitting war cries rang out. The fight began.

It was a different kind of brawl than I’d ever seen Dida or Lyle participate in, or even Dean. It was brutal.

“What is it, Dean?” Tanya asked when he reappeared beside us.

“The Boltiks figured out a way to get back into the sewers. They’re in them now to ensure no stragglers escape.”

“They really know what they’re doing. Well, my turn.”

Tanya moved forward. She slipped around the crowd and in the midst of the chaos, sneaked into the back room. Watching her maneuver around so many hostile individuals without attracting attention—it was really something else.

A tense minute later, Dida emerged from the back room, though he was alone. Even from a distance, I saw that his cheek was red and swollen. If I got any closer, I was sure I’d see even more injuries. Despite his condition, he leapt straight into the fray.

“Wh-what is he doing?!” I gasped, even though I knew he couldn’t hear me.

My fear couldn’t reach him, so he kept going. Dida soon became the eye of the storm. Everywhere he went, men flew left and right as he flung them aside with pure skill and strength. I was shell-shocked by the display.

Between the Boltiks and Dida, the enemy’s ranks rapidly dwindled to nothing.

When Dida stood alone in the center of the warehouse, he sheathed his sword.

“Tory!”

His voice shook as he snarled that name out; I felt it in my own chest. I couldn’t believe Dida could sound so grim—but his gaze was deadly serious. I wouldn’t have dared make light of it.

A man responded to Dida’s snarl, stepping forward.

“That’s the mastermind,” Dean murmured.

I looked up at him in surprise. Had Dida known who was responsible for this incident from the start?

Meeting Dida face-to-face, Tory balked—but only for a split second. Then he grinned and strode over.

It was obvious even to me that the Boltiks had already won. The enemy had been more or less obliterated, and the only fighting left to do was mere cleanup. But Tory still faced off with Dida.

“You got out already, huh?” he snorted. “Sorry, but you’re gonna have to behave for a bit longer. It’ll all be over soon anyway. For both of us.”

“Let’s end this, then.” Dida drew his sword again.

I’d never heard such gravity in his tone—and the way he drew his sword made it seem like he was about to perform some kind of sacred ritual.

“You’re gonna point that thing at me?”

Dida hesitated for only a moment. “Yes. Doesn’t matter what we shared. Not anymore. You moved against my mistress, and for that, you’ll get what you deserve.”

At Dida’s words, Tory burst out laughing wildly. “Oh, now you think you’re some kind of knight? You’re all high and mighty now, huh? Good for you, being your mistress’s pet.”

Dida made his move. He had been trained by my grandfather; Tory stood no chance.

In a single lightning-quick movement, Dida struck him with his sword—then as Tory fell, Dida struck him again across the face. Tory didn’t even have time to strike back.

The Boltiks had finished off the last of Tory’s gang. The only ones left on the field were Dida and Tory. All eyes were on these two men.

“I have one more question for you,” Dida said, his voice hoarse. “Why did you do this?”

“Why?” Tory sneered from the floor. “What does it matter?”

“It doesn’t. I just wanted to ask before I take you away.”

Tory laughed again. “Take me away, huh? Hey. Really, though. Who d’you think you are, slum rat? You grew up in the same filth as me!”

He screamed that last sentence. It was a pathetic sound.

“Why’d you get so important, huh? Why only you? Why’d you get to walk in the light? You and I—we’re the same!”

“Is that what you were thinking?”

“Yeah, it damn well was! I wanted my share of the underworld, sure. But the real reason I did all this was you, Dida!”

Dida’s face twisted.

“Why were you the only one who got to go someplace where the sun still shines?” Tory snarled—no. He was sobbing.

“Tory…”

Tory just laughed, as if he were spiting the pain with which Dida said his name. “But now you can go to hell! Go on! Go to hell! What will your precious mistress do when she finds out one of your old buddies was responsible for all this, huh?”

Oh? Did somebody call? I glanced at Dean, and he gave me a wry look, his smile faintly amused.

So I stepped forward. Dean was right on my heels. The Boltiks spotted me as I emerged from the shadows, and they stepped aside to let me pass.

“What will I do?” I asked as I walked into the pale lantern light. “I was thinking I’d tell him to come home with me.”

The instant I spoke, both Tory and Dida turned and stared at me in surprise. Was it at my words or my presence?

“I’m Iris—Dida’s mistress. It seems you’ve really taken care of my Dida, hm?” I smiled. As I spoke, the Boltiks began to back up. I was a bit puzzled, but I kept my gaze on Tory, still on the ground. “I heard your grievances. It seems to me your grudge is rather misplaced.”

“What?!”

“I mean, I’m right, aren’t I? What reason do you have to resent Dida? Because he made something of himself? Because he devoted himself to brutal, unrelenting training and grew stronger? Or are you frustrated that he’s the more skilled between you? Well, it’s not like he had any control over that either.”

“You bi—oof!” Tory cursed and tried to sit up, but Dida stepped on his chest to pin him down.

“Now if you’re mad about the discrepancy in circumstances, even then, your anger is misplaced. If there’s anything to resent, it’s that I was so powerless that Dida was the only one I could save. Resent me. Resent my family. Not Dida.”

Both Tory and Dida seemed shocked to hear me say that.

“Although, even if your positions were reversed, I don’t believe you’d be much different. You’d still be jealous—just of someone else. Look at all the people you involved in your grudge match, after all. You just want someone to blame for all your insecurities and internal dissatisfactions. You want someone to be the villain for your tragic hero. That’s all.”

Tory said nothing. He just stared at me, wide-eyed, his expression unchanging.

“Let’s pity the man. Let’s show some compassion. But I’ll not empathize with him.”

Tory was like an empty shell, unresponsive.

“Dida. Do you have anything else to say to this man?”

“No, I’m satisfied.” Dida smiled. But it wasn’t his usual cheerful grin—it hid his hurting heart.

“Bind him, Dean.”

I assumed the task would prove too hard for Dida, but he shook his head and took over before Dean could. “It’s too late for you,” he said to Tory. “There’s nothing I can do for you now that you’ve fallen this far.”

We couldn’t let Tory go. He had to be arrested and tried accordingly. I shot Dida a look that said, You understand that, right? and he nodded.

“You Dida?” Glaus asked as he approached.

“Yeah?”

“I’m Glaus. When I heard you were captured, I figured you had to be a lightweight, but you’re really something else. How’d they catch you?”

Dida smiled sheepishly.

Glaus laughed. “You’re a hell of a guy. You let your guard down around your old buddy, and he fooled ya, huh? Don’t know if I can get behind escorting around a duke’s daughter, but I just can’t hate idiots like you.” He cracked up. “You’re a real fighter, too. It’s a shame. If she hadn’t plucked you out of the slums, I could’ve had you for myself.”

“You can’t have him,” I retorted.

Glaus laughed even more at that. “I figured you wouldn’t let him go. Can’t blame me for trying.” He looked sideways at Dida. “Seems to me you’re more than just lucky. Not that you aren’t fortunate. Just keep in mind, Lady Luck is a fickle mistress. If we don’t grab the hand that’s offered to us, we could lose it forever—but you made the most out of the opportunity you were given. You became such a great man that I’m nearly jealous. Though I’m sure you don’t love to hear me say it.”

It seemed like Glaus was trying to tell Dida to ignore Tory—that it was more than dumb luck that had made him the man he was.

Dida merely nodded.

I was quite moved by Glaus’s speech, to be honest with you. I could tell that he had the kind of charisma that drew such respect from other men that they would follow him without hesitation.

“You’ve sure got a good eye, Lady. You should give yourself a pat on the back. Now then, mind if we take our share of the loot?”

“That’s up to you. I’ll be keeping an eye on you regardless.”

Glaus laughed again. “All right, we’ll be going now. We already tied up Emilio and all our guys who defected with him. Your soldiers will be here soon.”

“I’ll tell them some concerned citizens settled the situation with the help of the Boltik family. People in town will hail you like true champions of justice.”

“Aw, knock it off. I’m not used to that kinda stuff. All right, boys! Let’s head out!”

Glaus’s men made their way toward the exit. I could tell they were all most pleased with their performance.

“Dida, I need you to go back to your prison.”

He frowned. “What?”

“I sent Tanya to tend to you—I wasn’t expecting you to come out and take part in all this. I’m sure Tanya knocked out Dorssen so he wouldn’t get in the way, but I need you to go join him so the two of you can be rescued by the local soldiers. We can’t have word of your connection with the mastermind getting out, and it will help if you’re not the only one being saved.”

“Very well.” Dida hesitated. “My lady, about all this…”

“We can talk later. The soldiers will be here soon.”

I knew that whatever Dida wanted to say, it was important—he had just called me “my lady” for the very first time. But time was of the essence.

“I promise I’ll hear you out later,” I called to him as he made his way back to the back room.

“I’ll hold you to that, Princess.”

The familiar smirk on his face filled me with relief as I left the building.